Food chopper



s. BRAUN ET AL FOOD CHOPPER A Jan. 25, 1938. 2,106,626

Filed Aug. 1, 1936 Patented Jan. 25, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOOD CHOPPER facturing Company of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 1,

6 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in food handling apparatus, and more particularly to devices of this general character commonly known as choppers for cutting and grinding foodstuffs, such as meat, vegetables and the like.

Devices of the above character for the most part comprise a perforated head plate which is located adjacent the discharge end of the chopper and constitutes one of the opposing cutting members which are adapted to reduce the material operated upon to minute portions by a severing or a shearing action. Heretofore, these perforated end or head plates have been secured against relative rotation with respect to the chopper body, by means of pins or the like mounted in an aperture or socket in the outer end face of said chopper body for engagement with such plate. Arrangements of this nature are undesirable for several reasons, one of which is the extreme difiiculty encountered in removing the pin from the chopper body, particularly in instances where the same is broken or sheared off in the aperture or socket.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a device of the character set forth having novel means for securing the aforementioned perforated head plate against relative rotation with respect to said device whereby the foregoing diiliculties are eliminated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character set forth having novel means for preventing relative rotation of the perforated head plate which is of substantially heavy construction including a comparatively large cross section whereby the possibility of the same being sheared off by the tendency of the plate to rotate is substantially eliminated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character set forth having novel means for preventing relative rotation of the perforated head plate constructed and arranged with respect to the device so that the same may be readily and quickly removed and replaced from time to time as the result of wear.

Other objects and features of the invention and the details of the construction and operation thereof are set forth hereinafter and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a food chopper embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view partially in section of a portion of the chopper disclosed in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is fragmentary end elevation-view of the 1936, Serial No. 93,904

disclosure in Fig. 2, the adjusting ring or collar having been removed therefrom to better illustrate certain details of construction of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the invention illustrating certain structural details thereof Fig. 5 is a detached view in perspective of the means for securing the head plate against relative rotation with respect to the device forming the subject-matter of this invention;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the invention showing a modified formand construction of the "head plate securing means, and

Fig. 7 is a detached view in perspective of the means embodied in Fig. 6 for securing the head plate against relative rotation.

Referring now to the drawing, the invention is shown as applied to a food chopper of well known construction comprising a barrel I and a.

hopper. 2'. A revoluble spiral conveyor 3 is located within the. barrel I and operated in the usual manner by means of a handle or crank 4 to force the material longitudinally through the barrel I to the severing or cutting-devices. As shown, the inner wall of the barrel I adjacent the discharge endthereof flares outwardly and terminates in a truly cylindrical portion of larger diameter in which is mounted a closure plate 5 provided with a plurality of perforations 6 therein through which the material is forced by the helical conveyor 3. The closure plate 5 is also provided with a central bearing sleeve 1 forming a bearing for the trunnion 8 of the conveyor 3, the latter being provided at its outer extremity with a cutter member comprising a head 9 from which project radial cutting arms I0.

In the present instance, the perforated head or closure plate 5 is held stationary within the discharge end of the barrel I against relative rotation with respect thereto by means of a lug or key II arranged to engage a key-way or slot I2 in said plate 5, the latter being further secured in place by means of an adjusting ring or collar I3 which is threaded upon the external extremity of the barrel I.

As shown in Fig.- 5 of the drawing, the lug, key or the like II is of comparatively heavy rugged construction and is normally retained in a narrow open slot or groove I4 formed centrally and axially in the upper or top side of the barrel I. The slot or groove I4 is of such depth that it intersects the inner wall of the barrel I in the outwardly flaring portion thereof at a point axially and. radially inward of the, larger diam eter cylindrical portion at the discharge end of said barrel so that the lug, key or the like II projects a substantial distance into said larger diameter portion of the barrel for engagement with the keyway or slot l2 in the perforated die plate 5 mounted in the cylindrical portion. In the present instance, the lug, key, or the like I I is removably secured in the aforementioned groove or slot I4 by means of a screw or other similar element I5 which, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4 of the drawing, is screwed into a tapped hole formed centrally with respect to a socket or recess I6 constructed to provide a substantially fiat surface I! for engagement by the under side of the head I8 of said screw, said flat surface I! being substantially co-planar with the upper surface of the key element II when residing in said groove I4.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing, when the lug, key or like element II is secured in the slot or groove I4, the lower outer end portion thereof engaging the key-way, slot or other opening I 2 in the periphery of the perforated head or die plate 5 efiectively retains the latter against relative rotation with respect to the barrel I of the chopper.

A modification of the present invention is shown in Figs. 6 and '7 of the drawing wherein a key or like element 20 is provided and constructed and arranged to reside in a slot or groove 2| formed axially of said barrel I at the top thereof. A semi-circular groove 22 is formed in one side face of the key 28 and extends longitudinally of the latter, tapering slightly toward the rear thereof as shown in Fig. 7. A similar groove 23 is formed in the adjacent side wall of the groove or slot 2| and arranged to cooperatie with the groove 22 in the key to form an inwardly tapering socket for the reception of a tapered retaining pin 24in the mannershown in Fig.6 of the drawing to secure said key 20 in the slot or groove 2| in the relation shown. The upper face of the key 20 is provided with a notch 25 therein for the purpose of facilitating removal of said key 20 and its retaining pin 24, and the lower end edge portion of the key 20 extends some distance inwardly of the barrel I as indicated at 26 for engagement with the key-way, slot or other opening I2 in the periphery of the perforated head or die plate 5 to effectively retain the latter against relative rotation with respect to the barrel I of the chopper.

It will be observed that by the novel construction and arrangement of the retaining keys II and 20 in accordance with this invention a substantial cross section thickness is provided for the purpose of' affording a comparatively high shearing modulus which will prevent shearing off of the lower edge portion of said keys by the head plate 5 which might otherwise result from the tendency of said plate to rotate in the end of the barrel I. In addition the present construction and arrangement permits relatively quick, easy removal and replacement of the key when the latter becomes worn or, in rare instances, broken due to the shearing action of the plate, and at the same time greatly facilitates removal or detachment of the perforated head plate 5 for cleaning and other purposes.

While certain specific embodiments of the present invention have been set forth and illustrated for descriptive purposes, it is not intended that said invention shall be precisely limited thereto but that changes and modifications may be made and embodied therein within the scope of the annexed claims.

We claim:

1. In a device of the character described, including a barrel portion and a peripherally slotted perforated die plate arranged for removable insertion in the outer end of said barrel portion, said barrel having an axially extending slot therein one wall of which is provided with a longitudinally extending groove, a key member arranged for insertion in said slot, said key member having a longitudinally extending groove in one side face thereof arranged to cooperate with the groove in the wall of the slot to form a socket and being constructed and arranged with respect to said slot and barrel portion so that the lower end of the key member projects inwardly of the barrel for engagement with the slot in said perforated die plate to prevent rotation of the latter with respect to said barrel, and means engaging the grooves in the key member and adjacent wall of the slot to secure the former in the latter.

2. In a device of the character described, including a barrel portion and a peripherally slotted perforated die plate arranged for removable insertion in the outer end of said barrel portion, said barrel having an axially extending slot therein one wall of which is provided with a longitudinally extending semi-circular groove, a key member arranged for insertion in said slot, said key member having a longitudinally extending semi-circular groove in one side face thereof arranged to cooperate with the groove in the wall of the slot to form a socket and being constructed and arranged with respect to said slot and barrel portion so that the lower end of the key member projects inwardly of the barrel for engagement with the slot in said perforated die plate to prevent rotation of the latter with respect to said barrel, and means engaging the grooves in the key member and adjacent wall of the slot to secure the former in the latter.

3. In a device of the character described, including a barrel portion and a peripherally slotted perforated die plate arranged for removable insertion in the outer end of said barrel portion, said barrel having an axially extending slot therein one wall of which is provided with a longitudinally extending inwardly tapering groove, a key member arranged for insertion in said slot, said key member having a. longitudinally extending inwardly tapering groove in one side face thereof arranged to cooperate with the groove in the wall of the slot to form a socket and being constructed and arranged with respect to said slot and barrel portion so that the lower end of the key member projects inwardly of the barrel for engagement with the slot in said perforated die plate to prevent rotation of the latter with respect to said barrel, and tapered means engaging the grooves in the key member and adjacent wall of the slot to secure the former in the latter.

4. In a device of the character described including a barrel portion having its inner wall flaring outwardly adjacent the discharge end and terminating in a cylindrical portion of the larger diameter, a peripherally slotted perforated die plate arranged for removable insertion in the larger diameter cylindrical portion of the barrel, said barrel having an axially extending slot therein one wall of which is provided with a longitudinally extending groove, a key member for insertion in said slot having a longitudinally extending groove in one side face thereof arranged to cooperate with the groove in the wall of the slot to form a socket, said slot being constructed and arranged to intercept the inner wall of the barrel in the outwardly flaring portion thereof inwardly of said larger diameter cylindrical portion so that said key member projects a substantial distance into the larger diameter portion of said barrel for engagement with the slot in said perforated die plate to prevent rotation of the latter with respect to the barrel, and means engaging the socket formed by the groove in the key member and adjacent wall of the slot to secure the former in the latter.

5. In a device of the character described including a barrel portion having its inner wall flaring outwardly adjacent the discharge end and terminating in a cylindrical portion of larger diameter, a peripherally slotted perforated die plate arranged for removable insertion in the larger diameter cylindrical portion of the barrel, said barrel having an axial groove formed in the end face of said larger diameter cylindrical portion and extending in the outer surface of the barrel inwardly beyond the larger cylindrical portion, and a key member arranged for insertion in said groove to substantially fill the same, said groove extending entirely through the said larger cylindrical portion and being of such depth in its other portion that the bottom of the groove intersects the inner wall of the barrel in the outwardly flaring portion thereof inwardly of the larger cylindrical portion so that a substantial part of the length and depth of said key projects into said larger cylindrical portion for engagement with the slot in said perforated die plate to prevent rotation of the latter with respect to the barrel.

6. In a device of the character described including a barrel portion having its inner wall flaring outwardly adjacent the discharge end and terminating in a cylindrical portion of larger diameter, a peripherally slotted perforated die plate arranged for removable insertion in the larger diameter cylindrical portion of the barrel, said barrel having an axial groove formed in the end face of said larger diameter cylindrical portion and extending in the outer surface of the barrel inwardly beyond the larger cylindrical portion, a key member arranged for insertion in said groove to substantially fill the same, said groove extending entirely through the said larger cylindrical portion and being of such depth in its other portion that the bottom of the groove intersects the inner wall of the barrel in the outwardly flaring portion thereof inwardly of the larger cylindrical portion so that a substantial part of the length and depth of said key projects into said larger cylindrical portion for engagement with the slot in said perforated die plate to prevent rotation of the latter with respect to the barrel, and a member engaging both the barrel and the key for detachably securing the latter in the groove of the former.

SYLVAN BRAUN. v FREDERICK P. HESS. 

